How to Make an Unofficial Phone Official

We all look for the best deals when buying a new phone. But many times, when we try to buy a phone at a low price, we end up buying unofficial phones that are not imported legally. But currently, the problem is that the Bangladesh government and BTRC are discouraging the use of such phones. At any time, your favorite unofficial phone set can be disconnected from the network. Therefore, it is very important to check whether it is legitimate before or after buying a phone and register it if necessary.

Mobile price list in Bangladesh

So let's learn about how you can verify the legitimacy of your phone and how to register or make an unofficial phone official in the BTRC database.

What is an Unofficial Phone?

Mobile phones that are sold directly to customers in the domestic market through illegal traders without obtaining government VAT, tax, and approval are called unofficial phones. These types of mobile phones do not get official updates and have to use third-party apps. In addition, unofficial phones do not have a full service warranty, legal ownership is not available, and it is not easy to find the phone if it is lost.

Why is it necessary to check BTRC mobile registration?

• BTRC or Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, stores the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number of all mobile phones in the country in a database.
• An official phone is a phone that has been imported into the country by a legitimate importer after paying the appropriate duties and taxes, and whose IMEI number is registered in the BTRC database.
• On the other hand, unofficial phones are those that have been imported illegally or privately and whose IMEI numbers are not in the BTRC database.
• The government has the power to shut down unregistered or unofficial phones at any time to stop illegal imports and ensure public safety. Therefore, checking BTRC mobile registration is very important to keep your phone active.

Check BTRC registration via message

• The easiest way to check if your mobile phone is registered in the BTRC database is through SMS. To check BTRC mobile registration, you will need the 15-digit IMEI number of your phone.
• How to find IMEI number: Go to your phone's dial pad and dial *#06#. You will immediately see one or more IMEI numbers of your phone on the screen. However, you will only need to use the first IMEI number.

Steps to check BTRC registration

You can instantly know about the registration of your phone by following the simple steps below

1. Go to the message option on your mobile.

2. Go to the new message option and type: KYD in capital letters

3. Enter a space.

4. Enter the 15-digit IMEI number of your phone.

5. Send the message to 16002.

Example: KYD 123456789012345

You will know in the return message

• "Device (IMEI: *********) is already registered in the BTRC database." This means that your phone has already been registered in the BTRC database.

And if it is not registered, then

• The device's IMEI was not found in BTRC's database, please enter the full IMEI (only 15 digits excluding /, #, - and other special characters) and try again. Type KYD 15 Digit IMEI Number and send to 16002.

Process of making an unofficial phone official

If your phone shows "Not Found" after checking the SMS, meaning it is an unofficial phone, then there is nothing to worry about. You can apply for it through a specific process. This process is called "Special Registration". This is mainly for those who have bought a phone directly from abroad or received it as a gift.

Steps to register a BTRC mobile

1. First, go to the BTRC's National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) portal. The web address is: neir.btrc.gov.bd

2. Enter the site and click on the "Special Registration" option.

3. Log in with your personal mobile number, and an OTP or one-time password will come to your number in a few moments.

4. Now a form will appear. There, fill in your phone's IMEI number, your passport number, and the date of arrival in the country from abroad (according to the immigration seal) correctly.

5. You will need to upload a photo or scan of your passport's visa page and immigration seal page.

6. If you have a receipt for buying the phone, upload that too.

7. If all the information is correct, click on the "Submit" button.

BTRC will verify the information you have provided. If your passport and immigration information are correct, they will include your phone in the database, and your unofficial phone set will become official.

Note: Passengers coming from abroad can bring a certain number of phones duty-free or duty-paid as per the customs rules. This registration process works according to that rule. And, if you have bought an unofficial phone from a domestic shop and you do not have a valid passport or import document, the process of making it official is currently quite complicated or almost impossible.

So always try to buy an official phone from a legitimate importer or authorized showroom. In this way, you will not only get the right mobile, but you will also be able to play a role in collecting the country's revenue. And if you brought a phone from abroad or bought an unofficial phone, complete the BTRC mobile registration as soon as possible by following the steps above.